3.3. Cyclic oxidation behavior
Fig. 5 shows the cyclic oxidation curves of MWSC1 at 600 °C and 900 °C. During the initial 10 h of the oxidation process, it can be observed a relatively rapid increase in weight of sample MWSC1. Because the sample has a low relative density and therefore high porosity and many defects such as gaps, the penetration of oxygen into the sample is easy. At that stage, rapid sample surface oxidation may generate a glass phase silica layer, which leads to the observed increase of sample weight in the initial stage, but the oxide layer is not continuous and dense. After approx. 30 h, weight gain becomes slow, and at 600 °C the oxidation weight gain first decreased and then increased again. This is probably due to the formation of an oxide layer not completely covering the entire matrix at this stage, SiC surface oxidation generated CO, CO2, therefore the weight of the sample shows a downward trend. Then oxidation continues and the silicon oxide film layer of protection gradually covers the entire matrix material, and hence the entry of oxygen becomes difficult and sample weight is stable. It can be seen from the oxidation curve of MWSC1, there has been no “pesting” phenomenon of the in situ SiC/(Mo, W)Si2 composite, and the composite showed good low-temperature and mediate-temperature oxidation resistance.